LONDON – The Air Transport Licensing Authority of Hong Kong has announced that they have granted scheduled commercial flight operation licenses to Greater Bay Airlines, the newly formed start-up carrier based in Hong Kong.

The carrier operated exclusive cargo charter operations in November 2021 after receiving its AOC, but now it has been cleared to operate scheduled commercial operations.

Despite granting license to operate commercial flights amid deeply depressed travel demand and increasing Covid-19 transmission, the airline is determined to challenge competition by dominant carriers like Cathey Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines.

After receiving the commercial operations license, Greater Bay Airlines will be operating scheduled passenger and cargo flights across 104 routes with uncapped frequency to and from Hong Kong as per the Air Transport Licensing Authority of Hongkong.

With this news, Greater Bay Airlines has announced that they are due to receive two B737-800 aircraft, and this will help them in expanding its fleets over the next five years with additional fleets joining over the period.

Algernon Yau, Chief Executive at Greater Bay Airlines expressed that, “the license meant the airline would be able to expedite launch preparations and apply for operating permits from various destinations. We look forward to the launch of our inaugural service soon.”

With the increasing fresh spread of Covid-19 infections across Hongkong SAR and mainland China, heavy restrictions are being imposed again thus hampering aviation recovery of the island.

Thus, helping the rival island hub of Singapore to thrive in the upcoming summer season, as it has eased travel restrictions for vaccinated travelers from subcontinent Asia and Southeast Asia.